London [UK], May 27 (ANI): England's new Test head coach Brendon McCullum said on Friday that he does not think that his lack of experience is much of an issue.
The former Kiwis wicketkeeper-batter was appointed as England's mens Test team's new coach earlier this month. This is his first-ever international coaching assignment. He has stepped down as the head coach of Kolkata Knight Riders head coach following his appointment.
"I do not think it is really that much of an issue, I guess we will find out in time. I am confident in the skills that I have got, confident in the group that we have to start things off," ESPNCricinfo quoted McCullum as saying to Sky Sports.
"Obviously it will take me a little while to become completely adjusted to some of the methods and the ways over here, and might take some time for guys to adjust to me as well. But I am looking forward to it. It is a big risk taken by everyone but you do not get anywhere unless you're prepared to take a couple of risks in life," he added.
McCullum believes that there is a strong core of talent on which to begin the rebuild of the English team in the longest format.
He said that he does not coach technically. "I understand the technique but for me, it is more around tactics, man management and trying to provide the right environment for the team to go out there and be the best versions of themselves," he added.
The former Kiwis keeper said that Ben Stokes, the newly appointed Test captain is a 'strong leader' and a real 'follow-me type captain'.
"My job will be to ensure that we are consistent with our messaging, we are able to look after the guys in the environment and try to allow them to really grow at a speed that they might not have got to previously," he added.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) recently launched a high-performance review of the game under Andrew Strauss with the aim to become the best side in the next five years. McCullum said that the talent of players attracted him to the job of head coach, but added that it would take time to realise the aforementioned goal in Tests.
McCullum said that under the guidance of himself and Stokes, the English Test team would likely play in a more positive style and focus would be on players performing to their strengths rather than an 'all-out' attack.
He said that England can change the downward trend of the longest format of the game because of the tradition of Test Cricket there, the fan following and support for it in the country.
"I think if you look at my career I was able to play a fair amount of red-ball cricket. To me, whilst I have been lucky enough to earn a good living out of the white-ball game round the globe, franchise cricket, etc, red-ball cricket has always been the pinnacle of the sport," he said.
If you look at where the game probably sits currently, it is probably on a slightly downward trend. To me, the nation that can really change that is England because of the tradition of Test cricket here, also the fan following and the support that it gets in this country. So for us to be competitive at Test cricket, we will go a long way to being able to try and shifting the perception of red-ball cricket," he added. (ANI)
